1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved insulator for covering electrical connections, and more particularly relates to tubular insulators which may be slipped over the ends of wire splices and secured in place to insulate the electrical connection.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The art is replete with descriptions of insulator devices for insulating electrical wire connections. Representative of prior art devices is that described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,742,123; RE. 30,447; and RE. 30,817.
In general, the prior art insulating devices are relatively complex in structure and may comprise, for example, tubular members having diverse, layered compositions. For example, multi-layered tubular devices are known which comprise an outer layer of a heat shrinkable, synthetic polymeric resin lined with a soft, thermoplastic resin for encapsulating electrical wires. In use, these devices are inserted over the electrical connection and exposed to heat sufficient to shrink the outer tubular layer. As the outer tubular layer shrinks, around the electrical connection, the soft thermoplastic liner softens and flows around the electrical connection to effect an encapsulation of the wires.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the prior art devices as described above are relatively complex in structure and expensive to manufacture. In addition, the soft thermoplastic liners may be expressed from the shrinking outer layer, during their use. This is undesirable, since the expressed theremoplastic materials may be messy, adhesive in nature and unsightly to the finished product.
The electrical connection insulators of the present invention are characterized in part in that they may be fabricated from polymeric resin materials which are more stable, thermally, i.e., they do not flow under conditions of use, thereby obviating the problem of an expressed adhesive mess. The insulators of the invention are particularly useful for insulating electrical wire connections within motor assemblies. In this use, the insulators are initially secured to the electrical connection by a selective shrinking of one component of the insulator about the connection. The wires and connector may then be handled. Subsequently, the insulator is permanently emplaced under heat and pressure.